John Hirsch Highman

Hirsch Highman was a consultant radiologist at St Mary’s Hospital, London. He was born in London, the son of Arthur Hyman, a tailor. He studied at King’s College, London, and qualified at the Westminster Hospital in 1952.

He held junior posts at Westminster Hospital and at St Andrews, Bow, before joining the Royal Army Medical Corps for his National Service. In 1955 he was a casualty officer at Whipps Cross Hospital. The following year, he held a junior post at Brompton Hospital. In 1957 he was a medical registrar at the Royal Masonic Hospital, London, and then returned to St Mary’s, where he specialised in clinical radiology and trained in the department of radiology under the directorship of Rohan Williams [Munk’s Roll, Vol.V, p.450]. He obtained his diploma in medical radiology in 1960, and the fellowship of the faculty of radiology in 1963. The fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists followed in 1975.

He was appointed as a consultant in 1964 to St Mary’s and St Charles’ hospitals, and later to the Wellington Hospital, London. His main interests in radiology were paediatrics, gynaecology and ultrasound. When St Mary’s Hospital began to develop an interest in digital communication of radiological information in 1982, Hirsch played a supportive role. The lessons learnt at St Mary’s were later shared with other hospitals across the UK.

Hirsch was a quiet, dignified man of equitable temperament and was extremely modest. He was a good colleague in every way.

Hirsch Highman had many outside interests. He loved and had a deep knowledge of music, and was a proficient pianist. He was also interested in photography, and in his home he had his own dark room. He contributed to the English Heritage photographic record of listed buildings. He enjoyed DIY and examples of his work were on show at his home.

Hirsch married Wilma Joyce née Israelsohn in 1962. She was also a medical graduate and became a consultant in cytology at the Middlesex and St Peter’s hospitals, and at the Institute of Urology. They had one son and one daughter.